CCTEC, Rowan make partnership official

Incoming CCTec engineering technology freshman Martin Adame,14, of Bridgeton, walks on the new campus with his father Martin Adame following a press event there Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 in Vineland. "Something good is going to come out of this school!" exclaimed the elder Adame before walking away with an arm around his son's shoulders.(Photo: Sean M. Fitzgerald/Staff Photographer)Buy Photo

MILLVILLE - The word "opportunity" was on many people's minds Wednesday when school officials from Cumberland County Technical Education Center and the Rowan University Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering inked a partnership deal that will provide students a direct pathway from high school to college.

The transfer agreement was celebrated during a news conference inside the new CCTEC building at 3400 College Drive.

CCTEC students must maintain a minimum 3.5 grade point average in order to automatically qualify for acceptance into the Rowan engineering program, according to CCTEC Superintendent Dina Elliott.

“We're really focused on expanding our brand of education to every student in South Jersey who wants it, and we want to make sure that any student who wants an engineering degree has a seat (at Rowan),” Rowan College of Engineering Dean Anthony Lowman said.

CCTEC Board President Daniel G. Vivarelli Sr. thanked those in attendance for their support.

“We're just really thankful for the people who have worked to make this happen,” he said. “We look forward to many of you going on to Rowan and completing the course there.”

CCTEC’s new $70 million building is officially set to open Sept. 8 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Classes for the 2016-17 school year will begin on Sept. 12.

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Representatives of Rowan University's College of Engineering and Cumberland County Technical Education Center mingle with incoming students, their families, and members of the comunity following a press event at CCTec marking an articulation agreement between the two schools, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 in Vineland.(Photo: Sean M. Fitzgerald/Staff Photographer)

About 240 students will mark the school’s first freshmen class at the new building, where many will choose from 10 career tracks to enroll in.

The students on Wednesday were mostly future engineering students eager to begin their studies at the new school.